Cost. This one factor, more than any other, causes companies to sabotage their own success. One of the most common examples occurs during the process of design and prototyping. What seems like a sensible cost-cutting decision can actually cost a company more in the long run.
It happens like this: A company decides that overseas production is a good-enough, low-cost decision for prototypes. Unfortunately they often overlook the pitfalls of offshore sourcing.
After serving in the clean-up role for companies whose prototypes have gone astray, the engineers at Butler Technologies have assembled a quick “awareness checklist” for companies before they engage in the prototype phase.
Considerations before Choosing Overseas Prototypes:

• protection of intellectual property
• language differences that could negatively impact contractual agreements and design iterations
• variations in measurement standards
• access to the manufacturer
• limited understanding of the manufacturing process that will pave the way for high volume production
• total cost of ownership, such as time, freight and quality
• thorough investigation of  valid substrate, adhesive and ink options
• alternative designs that could reduce product weight or thickness, and therefore the process and cost of manufacturing
• U.S.-specific environmental and regulatory compliance standards, such as UL, CSA and others
• product performance in a variety of environmental conditions: outdoor durability, heat, abrasion, chemical exposure, humidity, flame resistance
• environmental friendliness of the product and its packaging
• ability to incorporate off-the-shelf components
• benefits of a single resource that is engaged in concept, design, the evolution of prototypes and low to mid-volume production

Design is not a once-and-done process. It is the connection between imagination and production, and it requires an ongoing conversation about alternatives and nuances that will deliver the best result. Without a design and manufacturing partnership, companies risk sabotaging their own success.

Butler Technologies has created its Rapid Response Prototype Program (R2P2) to provide a low-cost, quick-turnaround prototype solution. We  work with companies to help them meet stringent timing requirements without sacrificing expert design services. Read more about Butler Technologies Rapid Response Prototype Program.
Butler Technologies, Inc is located just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Butler Technologies is heavily involved in the research and development of conductive ink applications, flexible substrates and printed electronics design and production. Butler Technologies helps companies develop their printed electronics solutions as well as alternatives to traditional circuitry for medical products, automotive instrumentation, industrial safety, textile markets and emerging industry sectors.
Read more about how this impacts startup companies